Most developers ignore the promotional text field. It sits at the top of your App Store listing — visible above the fold — and Apple lets you update it without submitting a new binary. That makes it one of the highest-leverage optimization opportunities available. Most apps leave it empty.

This guide covers how to write promotional text that converts, how to A/B test variants, and how to update it in sync with campaigns and seasons.

What Is Promotional Text?

Promotional text is a 170-character field in App Store Connect that appears at the top of your App Store listing — above the description, right under your subtitle and rating. It's visible to every visitor and can be changed anytime without a new app version.

Unlike your description, promotional text has a clear constraint: 170 characters max. No formatting, no line breaks, no HTML. Just one sentence that needs to earn a download.

Apple introduced this field to give developers a way to communicate time-sensitive messaging — sales, new features, awards, seasonal events — without going through a full App Review cycle. That flexibility is the whole point.

Why Promotional Text Matters

Three reasons to treat this field seriously:

Above-the-fold visibility — users see it before scrolling to screenshots. It's the first piece of copy they read after your title.
Update without resubmitting — change your messaging in minutes, not days. No new binary, no new review.
A/B testing opportunity — since you can update it freely, you can run experiments to see what drives better conversion.

Apps with a filled promotional text field tend to outperform those that leave it blank. The field acts as a micro-hook: one sentence that clarifies your value, creates urgency, or highlights social proof.

The Four Promotional Text Formulas

Not sure what to write? Start with one of these proven formulas. Each fits within 170 characters and targets a different conversion lever.

Formula 1: Value Proposition

State what your app does and who it's for in one sentence.

Strong: "The easiest habit tracker for busy professionals — build routines in 30 seconds."

Weak: "Our app helps you track habits and be productive every single day with our amazing features!"

The strong version is specific, measurable, and comparative. The weak version is vague, uses filler, and wastes characters.

Formula 2: Social Proof

Lead with a number, rating, or credential.

Strong: "Trusted by 2M+ users. Rated 4.8 stars. Named top productivity app by TechCrunch."

Weak: "We have a lot of great users and people really love our app, we think you will too!"

Numbers and third-party validation build trust. Generic praise does not.

Formula 3: Urgency / Call to Action

Create a reason to download now, not later.

Strong: "New: AI-powered meal planning. Try it free for 7 days — no credit card required."

Weak: "Check out our latest update! We added some cool new features you're going to love."

Specificity and clear next steps win. "Some cool new features" tells a user nothing.

Formula 4: Seasonal / Event Messaging

Tie your text to a date, event, or cultural moment.

Strong: "Start your New Year resolutions right — our free goal planner launches Jan 1."

Weak: "Happy holidays! We hope you have a wonderful time using our app this season."

Seasonal text should include a reason to act, not just a greeting.

Character Budget Breakdown

With 170 characters, every word needs justification. Here's a practical budget:

Component	Characters	Purpose
Hook	30-40	Why should they care?
Core value prop	60-80	What does the app do?
Social proof / urgency	30-40	Why download now?
Punctuation & spacing	10-15	Count these too

Aim for one complete thought. Two sentences are possible but tight. Three sentences will feel cramped.

How to A/B Test Promotional Text

Since you can update promotional text without a new binary, it's one of the easiest fields to experiment with. Here's a practical approach:

Establish a baseline — run your best variant for 7-14 days. Track conversion rate in App Store Connect analytics.
Create 2-3 variants — use different formulas from above. Don't tweak one word; test meaningfully different approaches.
Switch variants every 3-5 days — short enough for quick results, long enough for meaningful data.
Measure conversion rate — compare install rate per listing visit. A 5-10% improvement is significant.
Lock the winner — keep it running until you have a new hypothesis worth testing.

Storehouse and SplitMetrics provide dedicated App Store A/B testing with statistical significance. LaunchPilot's metadata editor lets you draft multiple variants and push updates to App Store Connect directly — check it out at /features. For indie developers, the manual approach above works well as a starting point.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Leaving it blank. An empty field is wasted real estate. Even a simple value statement beats nothing.

Repeating your subtitle. Subtitle = permanent positioning; promotional text = dynamic messaging. Don't say the same thing twice.

Keyword stuffing. Promotional text is for humans, not the algorithm. Apple does not index it for keyword ranking. Writing "fitness workout gym exercise" won't help your ASO — it will hurt conversion because no human reads it.

Making it about you. "We're proud to announce..." — users don't care. Write about what they get, not what you built.

Forgetting to update after campaigns end. "Summer sale — 50% off" in September looks unprofessional. Set a calendar reminder when time-sensitive messaging expires.

Seasonal Promotional Text Calendar

Plan updates around key dates so your messaging stays current:

January — New Year resolutions, fitness, productivity
March — Tax season, spring features
May — Summer prep, Mother's Day, travel
August — Back to school, education, productivity
November — Black Friday, holiday shopping, gifts
December — Holiday events, gift guides, year-end reviews

Set a calendar reminder 1 week before each date to draft and publish updated text.

Quick Reference Checklist

Use this before publishing or updating your promotional text:

App Store Promotional Text: How to Use Your 170 Characters to Boost Downloads